Caraval (Caraval, 1) by Stephanie Garber (Epub)

Description

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.

User’s Reviews

Review New York Times BestsellerEntertainment Weekly Top 10 YA Novel of the Year#1 ABA IndieNext PickPublishers Weekly Flying StartCBC Teen Choice Book Award FinalistTeen Vogue Best YA Book of 2017BuzzFeed Best Book of the Year“The Hunger Games meets The Night Circus in this tale of two sisters enmeshed in a deadly game. Grade: A-” ―Entertainment Weekly“There are elements of Neil Gaiman fantasy, Wizard of Oz, and Hunger Games killer competitiveness in Stephanie Garber’s debut. But what’s most impressive is how original her wondrous Caraval really is. Garber creates a world brimming with energy, mystery, surprises, backstabbing, and even some unforeseen romance.” ―USA Today“Spellbinding.” ―US Weekly“Caraval is The Night Circus Jr., with a dash of Alice in Wonderland and a sprinkle of Fantasy Island. If blood and madness, ‘shameless curves and immoral promises’ entice you, well, come to the cabaret.” ―The New York Times Book Review“A magnificent debut, and a spellbinding tale of love, loss, sacrifice, and hope.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review”This twisty, terrifically fun page-turner is ideal for fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, and fantasy novels where relationships between sisters drive the plot, such as The Hunger Games. A must-have fantasy debut for high school collections.” ―School Library Journal“Caraval sweeps you into a treacherous and romantic world that takes center stage in this story of two sisters and their longing for more.” ―Justine“A spellbinding tale of sisterhood, love and betrayal. I lost myself in this dangerous, enchanting world―and never wanted to come out.” ―Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember In the Ashes and A Torch in the Night“Enchanting and mysterious, Stephanie Garber’s Caraval is a story rich with sumptuous detail, beautifully written.” ―Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn“Caraval shimmers with magic. This is an inventive, delightful tale with several aces up its sleeve.” ―Marie Rutkoski, New York Times bestselling author of the Winner’s Trilogy“In a book where nothing is at it appears, one thing is certain: Caraval is the darkly enchanting adventure you’ve been looking for!” ―Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken and Paranormalcy“A decadent and enchanting tale. Caraval will sink its teeth into you, and you will not want to leave.” ―Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen“A tale of sisterly devotion painted in colors of cerise and shimmering gold. If you ever wondered how it would feel to step into a living dream, here’s your ticket.” ―Stacey Lee, critically acclaimed author of Outrun the Moon“Stephanie Garber doesn’t just dazzle―she makes me believe.” ―Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling coauthor of My Lady Jane“Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets. Immersive and engaging . . . destined to capture imaginations.” ―Kirkus Reviews“Readers invested in the sisters’s fates (not to mention the outcome of steamy will-they-or-won’t-the? tension between Scarlett and Julian) will hang on tight and enjoy the ride. Garber’s darkly beautiful and brutal magical world is the star here, full of luscious details that invite readers to linger.” ―The Horn Book“An enchanting mix of mystery, romance, and magic, this immerses readers in its gorgeous setting with lush prose. The setting is a captivating blend of beauty and danger . . . the chemistry between Scarlett and Julian is intoxicating. Readers will want a return ticket to this one.” ―Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“Rich, vivid scene-setting and descriptions make for entertaining reading . . . a colorful, imaginative fantasy with some steamy romance for good measure.” ―ALA Booklist

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ I’m not sure where to start. This is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. There is nothing redeeming about this story other than the gorgeous cover. Whether it was because of the glorification of violence against young women, the overplayed damsel in distress tropes, the complete lack of a plot, the increasingly nonsensical story lines, or the laughable attempts at tying up loose ends, I was unable to understand how this book has so many good reviews. The inagery would make for a great movie, but for me,this book was a complete waste of time. It was clearly written by someone religious attempting to write a dark story playing on themes of bodily sacrifice, loyalty, true love, and pain. I hughly recommend reading anything else. Literally anything.

⭐ I wasted money buying this book. Just like most other YA books, this has everything you’re not looking for: a female characters who is pretty without knowing it; a brooding, secretive love interest that evolves into a will they won’t they relationship; and a mysterious villian. This is supposed to be about an unbreakable bond between the sisters, except one is only in about 15% of the novel. There was no depth to their relationship, only tiny bits of shared horror stories that really weren’t all that pearl-clutching. There was no real depth to the characters at all, we never got to know them, and I felt like their arc was flat. The imagery was meh for me. Sure, throw in a whole bunch of adverbs and adjectives that imbue glitter and sparkle, but this reads like you’re just trying to fill up space on the page. It becomes repetitive and heavy. I found myself skimming ahead a ton of this book just to get through the descriptions. World building is great when you’re not smacked in the face with us. What’s the novel-writing adage… Show, don’t tell? We’re definitely told. Over and over and over and over. This glittered, that sparkled, this shone. Ugh. And in between all of this, we are supposed to care about this character searching for her sister because… she’s her sister? Beyond that, there wasn’t an established relationship that made me cheer Scarlett on in the race to find her. Do yourself a favor and buy this book when it’s on sale, skim the pages and read the end. You won’t miss much.

⭐ This story was so magical, so whimsical, and so perfect. I was skeptical, because I’m pretty much the only person on Goodreads that did not like The Night Circus, but this didn’t remind me of The Night Circus at all. Well, at least the 15% I read before I couldn’t force myself to read more. I mean, I can see where people would draw the parallels because of the plot, but the writing in this is much more reminiscent of The Raven Boys or Heartless. The prose is the epitome of lyrical, with descriptions that were nothing short of magical, and I devoured it all with a smile on my face.“It looked like a storybook come to life. She peered down at bright pointy rooftops, moss-covered towers, gingerbread cottages, gleaming gold bridges, blue-brick streets, and bubbling fountains, all lit by candled lamps that hung everywhere, giving an appearance of time that was neither day nor night.”Can we talk about how this is Stephanie Garber’s debut novel? I am seriously shocked, because this is not the writing of a new or amateur writer. She has perfected her craft, and made just a really addictive and impressive first story. I hope and pray she wins 2017’s Best Debut Goodreads Author award, because she is so deserving with this masterpiece. I’m in awe of her talent, honestly.God, the writing was so good. The descriptions were perfection. I understand this might not be for everyone, but this world consumed me and I didn’t want to leave when I turned the last page. I know this book is about a magical place, but it truly ended up being a magical experience that I’m not going to forget anytime soon. Caraval is the first book I gave five stars to in 2017, and it is so very deserving of that title.The plot of this has a perfect thriller tempo, too! Yes, I’ve been raving about how magical and lyrical this book is, but I have to emphasize that the pace is fast, too! Each chapter holds a new mystery, and I felt so compelled to never put this book down. Caraval truly is a fast and magical journey that I can’t help but recommend everyone take!Caraval is a magical game that is played once a year. Not everyone can go, but the lucky ones are sent tickets, and once they arrive they are able to choose if they’d like to watch the game or actually play the game. Scarlett has been writing to the master of Caraval, Legend, her whole life in hopes to acquire tickets for her and her sister, and after all these years she finally gets a letter back.And the sibling love in this is so amazing. My brother and I are really close, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for him. Scarlett’s devotion to her sister warmed my heart completely and I loved reading about it. Also, seeing them pick each other over boys is my freaking jam.This book also tackles the hard topic of parental abuse, emotional, mental, and physical. This topic is so important, and doesn’t seem to be in much YA, unless it is the center of the story. So many kids grow up being abused, yet, it doesn’t become the center of their life. Seeing Scarlett realize she is not the value of her father’s rage was beautiful. We need more books that handle this issue, because Uncle Vernon and Harry Potter isn’t close to being the epitome of an abusive relationship. Many parents can be manipulative, abusive, terrible, and it isn’t the victims fault, ever.“People think no one sees all the nasty things they do in the dark. The foul acts they commit, or the lies they tell as part of the game. Caraval takes place at night because you like to watch, and see what people do when they think there are no consequences.”This book does border on unreliable narrative though, because as Scarlett is learning the rules of the game and the magic of Caraval, so is the reader. Caraval is a facade, it might be a beautiful facade, but it is still a facade. The reader is never sure if what they are reading is true, and that is because Scarlett never knows if what she is experiencing is true. I loved the mystery factor and thought it worked perfectly, but I can see where others might not like it as much as me.And the characters and players in this world are so wonderful! Scarlett was my favorite, and I feel like it would be almost impossible not to fall in love with her. Her sister, Tella, has a good heart and her actions were coming from a good place, but she was a little frustrating. Hopefully, in the next book, my love for Scarlett will carry over to Tella. Julian is the other main character you read about, alongside Scarlett. His character was so endearing and I absolutely loved this story-arc and twist(s). Not knowing whether to root and cheer for him or wish him dead was a unique experience to say the least!I loved this book. I loved it with my whole heart. I read this in one day; I couldn’t put it down. This book is the definition of a sensory read. Please give it a try. I understand that not every book is for everyone, but this book is pretty close to perfection, in my eyes. I whole heartedly expect this to show up on my “Best of 2017” list, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.

⭐ I was waiting for the colours, the magic, the romance… but all I got was a mess of confusion, darkness and violence. And it continued through till the end. I didn’t enjoy this book, I kept waiting for it to get better. I should have put it down after the third chapter. Oh well.

⭐ 5/5 Stars“Some things are worth pursuit regardless of the cost” ~ Stephanie GarberWelcome, welcome to Stephanie Garber’s debut novel, CARAVAL. And what a debut it is. Fast-paced and riveting, the world Stephanie Garber creates in this first novel of her career and first novel of the Caraval series drags you in and has you begging for more by the end. I read it in one sitting. At times, I found my heart pounding. There were twists I expected, and others I did not. They were all handled with the same intensity, the same breathless waiting. I couldn’t make my eyes move fast enough. I just wanted to get to that place where I found out if what I thought was going to happen was actually going to happen or if Garber was going to swerve in another direction all together. The plot was as theatrical as the world the author created. It was so elegantly crafted I could almost swear Legend himself had made it.And Scarlett. Oh, Scarlett. Scarlett is not like the main character’s I’m used to seeing in this genre. She is unsure, shy, exceedingly cautious. Scarlett is responsible and serious, much like me. Scarlett is not a sword-wielding badass of a heroine (don’t get me wrong, I love those ladies, too), but is of a softer sort. But Scarlett is earnest and smart and she grows. Watching her grow was one of my favorite parts of the novel (if you can say anything is your favorite in a novel where everything is simply exceptional).So hurry, hurry, one and all. Get yourself to Caraval.

⭐ Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.After watching countless bloggers rave about this book, and reading the synopsis of the book, I caved and bought the book. I always worry about buying books that have a huge hype on them because I have high hopes for the book then, only to be let down when I read it, but Caraval didn’t disappoint. Caraval isn’t just a book, it’s an experience!!“Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find yourself magic in this world.”And magic did I find! This book was a magical page-turner that I couldn’t put down! When people ask me what it reminds me of, I tell them to image Alice in Wonderland mixed with a circus and an amusement park. Most of the book takes place on an island, where the Master of Caraval–Legend–lives. Caraval is a magical performance that travels to a new place every year, but this year, the Master and his performers aren’t traveling, but are having a private performance and Master Legend invites our main character, Scarlett, and her sister Tella. You can choose to either watch the game unfold, or join in and try to win that years’ prize before the other participants do! And this years’ prize is something everyone wants…a wish.I told you a bit about the plot, and Caraval, but what I didn’t tell you about is how much I love this book! I love everything about it, from the bonds it shows between siblings, to the magic you can find in every page! I haven’t had this much fun reading a book since I read Harry Potter. Yes, I’m comparing it to Harry Potter (My favorite series). Why? Because I felt the magic every time I picked up the book! I felt as if I was in the book, playing Caraval alongside Scarlett. And just like I want to experience Hogwarts, I want to be a part of Caraval. Would I want to play? Um, different story! HAHAHA I’d probably be that person who goes mad and gets swept away, but how a beautiful way I could be swept!“What happens beyond this gate may frighten or excite you, but don’t let any of it trick you. We will try to convince you it’s real, but all of it is a performance. A world built of make-believe. So while we want you to get swept away, be careful of being swept too far away. Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won’t wake.”I loved all the characters in this novel, especially Julian and Scarlett. Scarlett is hesitant, but brave. She thinks too much, but since she has so much to lose in life, I can’t blame her. What I love about her, besides her honest and caring heart, is her wiliness to put aside her own happiness for her sister. I’m very close to my two sisters, especially my older sister, so their bond really hit home for me. Scarlett reminds me of my older sister and while I’m not entirely like the courageous, and sometimes infuriating Tella, I can’t lie and say I don’t see myself in her because I do. Both are likable characters, but Scarlett really won me over. I adored her character and loved that this book showed the power of love between siblings.Now, Julian. Like Scarlett, I didn’t trust the man right at the start. There was something about him that made me cautious, but when she started to fall for him, I fell for him too! His character is indescribable! But I’ll try to say a little about him. He’s bold, and courageous. He’s stubborn, strong, and so, so likable! God, can you see I have a mini crush on him? Mini? Yeah, I could hear the lie myself. I’m a huge Julian lover! If I didn’t like Scarlett with Julian so much, I would beat her with a stick for him!! (I won’t, but it’s tempting when he acts all mysterious and charming!)“She imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out.”My overall thoughts? This book is magical, whimsical, and utterly enchanting! My favorite book of 2017 so far!

⭐ Well apparently not for me.The Good: The story is well written with well rounded characters. The location on Caraval has a nice Disneyland / Magical Kingdom feel. The story definitely picks up when the get to Caraval.The Bad: The main heroine / character since she is really not much of a hero spent the whole novel in indecision. I really had no feel for where the story was going and no feel who was good, bad or indifferent. Probably this is by design but that sure makes it hard to know who to root for. There was no feel of progress through The Game. It all felt like useless wandering. If you are playing a game, there should be a more fleshed out progression of the game. The clues led to nothing. There was no progress through the Caraval park. There were no achievements. All are part of the plot devices by um so confused.Probably best for teen girls but OK for for adults if you need a filler. Finishing the novel but tempted many times to just quit.

⭐ Caraval is as beautiful a story as the cover leads one to believe. The cover is what first drew my eye as I saw it splattered across bookstagram. With rich red and blue notes scattered among a starry, black background, it was designed to catch the eye just as the Caraval of the book is meant to. The quote atop the book immediately catches one’s attention as well, and promises some kind of dark twist and depth: “Remember, it’s only a game…” Once I cracked open the book and read the opening line—a single, brief sentence in a whole page—I was hooked.It has now been nearly three weeks since I finished, and I can’t stop thinking about it or longing to pick it up again (which is impossible as I’ve already started lending it to my friends/family). Caraval blew my mind with its sheer tangibility; the pictures that formed in my head, the characters that became so real, and the masterful pacing/plot are only three elements that made it stand apart. In fact, I can boldly say that this is my new, favorite stand-alone contemporary novel (though there was room for a sequel in the end so…fingers crossed!)Let’s talk setting. Stephanie Garber manages to paint such a crystal clear, unique world that it’s impossible not to feel as though Caraval is right there before your eyes. The protagonist, Scarlett, tends to feel and see things in vivid color (for example, if she’s happy she might see a certain yellow). It paints a glorious picture and based off the colors or the way Scarlett interacts with the world around her, one can easily pick up on her mood. The mark of a good setting too, in my opinion, is the ability to create it without over-exposition or narration; to create it in an organic manner interspersed with dialogue, plot, and character development rather than devoting five giant paragraphs to it and then getting back to the scene. This is beautifully done and there are few authors who’ve managed to capture this effect so clearly.The characters, meanwhile, are each distinct and clear individuals with believable motives driving their actions. They hesitate, they debate, the act spontaneously, they feel things deeply and complexly, again without rambling exposition or dramatic confusion. You can’t help but fall in love with Julian or root for Scarlett or get caught up in the interpersonal connections scattered throughout. My only hope is that the character of Legend is brought to light in the sequel (if one comes), though his own character is stamped from the first page to the last, hovering in the background like the proverbial man behind the curtain, always felt but never seen. A final thought on characters: Garber didn’t neglect her minors, which is wonderful because I would personally love to see more of a few of them in a future book. Tella, in particular, is a fascinating set of contradictions dressed in curls. The relationship dynamics between any two or three characters were well-explored as well.From the outset, the plot of Caraval is deceptively simple: girl goes to save sister in giant game world. The trick, as quoted on the cover, is to remember that it’s just a game. Or is it? Without spoilers, this quote is prevalent throughout the novel and applies to each scene, each chapter, even as at every turn it seems less true and more like reality, or vice versa. That is probably my favorite aspect of Caraval: you truly never know what to expect. Within the first two chapters, Garber flipped the old loving, devoted sisters trope on its head as Tella threatens to blame Scarlett for a mistake she’d made without hesitation. Then, the dynamic is flipped right back over within another few minutes. This pattern, or theme, continues through the rest of the book all the way to the very last few lines in a magical array of unexpected twists and turns that I just adored.This is rare, but I can honestly say that I have no critique or criticism of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval. It was full of surprise, hints of magic, romance, dark mystery, and anything else one could possibly long for in a story.

⭐ “The constellations were always there, constant, magnificent guides against the ever-present black.”― Stephanie Garber, CaravalThis book does magic wonderfully!I will be honest..did not think I’d like this. But I loved the cover art and it had been highly recommended so I gave it a shot and am glad I did.Caravel sort of put me into a trance. A trance of circuses and fireworks and magic and glitter. This was such a fun read. I recommend it.It does move rather slowly but that was OK. In fact I did notice that many things that bother me in other books, were fine in Caraval. I guess I liked it so much, I was OK with the stuff I didn’t like. LOL.I adored the themes of magic and mystery. I really think this is one of the more VISUAL books I’ve read and things are laid out in such a dazzling and exquisite way.The writing is lush and descriptive and you feel right there. I do not know if this book has been picked up as a movie but it should be. It’s that good.I enjoyed this although it took me awhile to finish. I sort of just got lost in it.Now the thing is as much as I liked it….I’d rate it an 8 of 10 on a 1-10 scale….so far I have not gone on in the series. I really am not a series person by nature but I did adore the Hunger Games and Divergent series.With this one, as enamored as I was, it was not a “must go on in the series” book for me. It was fine as a stand alone.But I may go on as it still lingers in my head….lol.I am really glad I took a chance on something I was on the fence about as I found it a fun and imaginary read.

⭐ I have to give props to Stephanie Garber. This is one of those stories that when given a chance, turns into something wholly unexpected. Even reading the synopsis I thought to myself, another YA with a rubbish front and center romance with no plot. It was exciting to be proven wrong.Caraval was mysterious, whimsical, and dark. Not going to lie I got Labyrinth vibes but instead of a hot Goblin King there was a disguised and cunning Legend to find and subdue. The thought gave me chills. “Remember it’s only a game…”Now for the plot. Normally my mind always races ahead to ruin plot twist for me. Even so, I could not figure out where this was going. Stephanie put grade A level Alice and Wonderland type nonsense in here and I was all for it.Weirdly enough I enjoyed Scarlett’s chromesthesia. Not often do characters have any type of medical conditions and I think it’s beautiful with an author creates characters that are more accessible.The rules of the game had me reeling and changing my contemplations every other chapter. It drove me crazing but in a good way. And the only downside I had was how repetitive Scarlets thoughts were.

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